Christmas of 1997 I picked up this 1951 Willys Wagon with a sweet Ford 289 engine (it wasn't a Cobra as is indicated on the valve covers, but it made it look cool). The rest of the driveline was stock (now there's disaster waiting to happen!), but with glass packs the engine sounded awesome.

The rims were previously on my '78 CJ-7 (they bolted directly on). While I did some detail work to this wagon and had plans to make it into a daily driver, after a few years I had to admit I had too many projects and just wouldn't get it finished for a long time. So, November of 1999 I sold the Willys, but at least it went to a lady who was very excited to get it, Shelley Schick in southern Oregon. She kept it for a decade.

Early 2010 she sold it to Myron Carlson who reports that the 289 had blown up and was replaced with a 307. He's up to his elbows with replacing head gaskets, repairing scorched wiring, getting the brakes to work again, and attending to other delayed repair items.

This is the guy I bought the wagon from and who did the body work on it, replacing the rusted sections, painting it, and dropping in the 289 Ford. He had it a decade and he clearly hated to see it go. I bought through a small car dealer in Ranier, WA, near Longview, and towed it back to Portland, OR.